How do you get lucid?

For some time now I’ve been try to LD. It’s been a bit of a hit and miss affair as I have not been following any exercises in anger. My first success was earlier in the year and very short lived and I became fully aware after a very short about of time – probably brought on by the excitement of it all. The next could of times lasted slightly longer and I've been able to maintain them for some time.

Until last night it was my belief that you entered lucidity from a deep sleep state but my recent experience suggests this is probably not the case for a lot of people. I entered lucidity for (what felt like maybe a minute) and then woke up. Without moving I attempted to drift back off to sleep and (what felt like) immediately getting lucidity which again lasted for (what felt like) a minute. I was able to get lucidity a few times this morning in this way. It felt like I was walking a tightrope though. I found it very difficult to maintain the lucid state and it was easy to either wake up entirely or fall into a normal dream state.

Do most people enter (and are able to control) the lucid state from point of initially falling asleep? Is this something that is worth working on and if so are there any good exercises I could follow?

Yes. This technique is called DEILD. also it is normal to have short LDs, it happens to experts. check out the wiki(top of page) or Dreamviews academy.
Good Luck!!

Reminds me of my first WILDs which were very very short. WILD and DEILD techniques definitely worth it if you can get into the right mindset, but for most it's better to start with DILD/MILD because once you get the feel of being in dream it'd be easier to do WILD and DEILD. ;)
Also try to not get annoyed/angry, lucid dreaming is alot about mindset and being in negative mindset doesn't helps, think positive and have fun with process itself, not only results!
And, even if you are using WILD or DEILD, don't forget to practice awareness and reality checks as well as dream journal.

Also i strongly recommend checking out tutorials here: Induction Methods and Techniques :peek:

*Moved to Attaining lucidity*

I have had a couple of random LDs during the night, but most of my LDs are induced during 1-2 hour naps just after work.

When i decide to have a LD, i use my time at work to look forward to the nap i am going to have when i get home, and the lucid dream that follows. Experience tells me this helps greatly in becoming lucid since the "daytime residue" that often occurs in dreams reminds you of the day you spent wanting to have a LD. Atleast, that's how it works for me.

When i get home, i initially start out doing WILD, if i get to the "entry sensations" 2 times without succeding, i roll over and sleep normally. Most times i then become lucid by a mixture of hightened awareness from my WILD attempt and daytime residue somehow reminding me of lucid dreaming and then triggering lucidity.

I recently returned to lucid dreaming and i have discovered that my success using this method has decreased dramatically, but this is likely due to my lack of dream journaling and general dream awareness which i will have to practice again. ^^

I don't ever get those spontaneous LDs that you guys talk about